Luggage with a composite side pocket

ABSTRACT

A luggage includes a luggage body, a side pocket and a handhold device. The side pocket includes a pocket cloth selectively affixed to one of multiple peripheral sides of the luggage body and having a top free edge defining with the luggage body a pocket mouth therebetween. The handhold device is located at an outer wall of the pocket cloth adjacent to the pocket mouth, having a handhold body disposed near the pocket mouth and a finger hole defined between the handhold body and the pocket cloth side pocket. Thus, the side pocket is provided for holding newspaper or other articles. Through the handhold body and finger hole of the handhold device, the user can drag or lift the luggage conveniently. Further, the side pocket exhibits a unique visual effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to luggage for holding travelers' articlesduring transit and more particularly to a luggage which provides acomposite side pocket for holding articles and for enabling the user todrag or lift the luggage conveniently.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

A luggage is adapted for holding a traveler's articles during transit.Further, a luggage generally has a sub-pocket at the front panel, backpanel and/or each of the two opposite side panels of the luggage bodyfor holding or differentiating articles. In actual application, whenwaiting for an airplane or car, the user may read a newspaper ormagazine. If the user stands up to drag the luggage at this time, theuser cannot put the newspaper or magazine in the luggage conveniently.Further, if the user wishes to move the luggage over a short distance,for example, to pull the luggage from a relatively farther place to aplace near the seat or to put the luggage in a cupboard above thecockpit, the user cannot conveniently hold the luggage in hand.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,170 discloses the arrangement of a flexiblecompartment from the exterior side of the housing member of a bag, and aside closure member pivotable to open or close access to the flexiblecompartment. US 20130048457 discloses a luggage that comprisesupstanding sidewalls and an open upper having a removable cover, whereinthe sidewalls and cover are transparent and further comprise securablepockets respectively provided with a cover or zipper. When wishing toput a newspaper, book or magazine in one pocket, the user needs to openthe cover or zipper with one hand and then to insert the newspaper, bookor magazine in the pocket with the other hand.

Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,032 discloses a luggage having an exteriorpocket for holding books and magazines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,155discloses a luggage piece having a detachable tote bag. The tote bag issecured to the exterior of one of the sides by a zipper. One half of thezipper is secured to a portion of the outer perimeter of the luggagepiece side while the other half of the zipper is secured to the outerperimeter of a portion of the tote bag. The top of the tote bag remainsunzipped to defining an opening, and can be secured by a snap. U.S. Pat.No. 6,467,594 discloses a luggage case attachable to a briefcase. Theavailable space in the luggage case will not be occupied by thebriefcase, nor will the user have to carry the briefcase while pushingor dragging the luggage case at the same time. The briefcase can bedetached from the luggage case, and the cover body can cover the pocketbody.

The exteriorly accessible pocket according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,032can be readily converted to a strap for temporarily securing theauxiliary hand article to the U-shaped handle extending upward from thetop of a separate article of wheeled luggage. However, this exteriorlyaccessible pocket design does not have any other handhold structure orprovide any visual effect or enhances the texture. Further, according toU.S. Pat. No. 5,944,155, the tote bag is secured to the exterior of oneof the sides of the luggage piece by a zipper for holding books andmagazines. However, the tote bag has no other handhold structure design.The inverted U-shaped tote bag is not conveniently steadily securable bythe user. Further, the tote bag does not provide any visual effect orenhances the texture. Further, the luggage case of U.S. Pat. No.6,467,594 has no external pocket means for the insertion of books ormagazines to satisfy application requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is one object of the present invention to provide a luggagewith a composite side pocket, which has a side pocket and a handholddevice provided at the outside wall of the luggage body convenient forholding articles or for enabling the user to drag or lift the luggageconveniently and, which exhibits a unique visual effect on theappearance.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a luggage ofthe present invention comprises a luggage body, a side pocket mounted atone peripheral wall of the luggage body, and a handhold device locatedat an outer wall of the side pocket. The side pocket comprises a pocketcloth affixed to the luggage body. The pocket cloth comprises twoopposite lateral edges and a bottom edge affixed to the luggage body,and a top free edge opposite to the bottom edge. The top free edgedefines with the luggage body a pocket mouth therebetween. The handholddevice is located at the outer wall of the pocket cloth adjacent to thepocket mouth, comprising a handhold body near the pocket mouth and afinger hole between the handhold body and the outer wall of the pocketcloth.

Preferably, the handhold body of the handhold device is a strip memberturned downwardly from the top free edge of the pocket cloth toward theouter wall of the side pocket, thereby defining with the outer wall thefinger hole therebetween.

Preferably, the handhold body of the handhold device comprises a firststrip member formed of a first material, and a second strip memberformed of a second material. The first strip member is stacked on anouter side of the second strip member. The second strip member has aninner side thereof facing toward the outer wall of the pocket cloth suchthat the finger hole is defined between the second strip member and theouter wall of the pocket cloth.

Preferably, the first strip member and the second strip member haverespective top edges thereof affixed to an inner side of the pocketmouth, and respective bottom edges thereof turned upwards and affixed toan outer side of the first strip member. Thus, the handhold body has anouter surface partly formed of the first material of the first stripmember and partly formed of the second material of the second stripmember.

Thus, the user can directly and conveniently insert newspaper, book,magazine or any other handy articles into the pocket mouth of the sidepocket without needing to open any cover or zipper means from theluggage body. Further, the user can insert the fingers downwardly intothe finger hole of the handhold device and then hook the fingers on thehandhold body, enabling the luggage body to be dragged or lifted byhand. Through the composite function and outer appearance design of theside pocket and the handhold device and the two-component texture designof the handhold body, the side pocket exhibits a unique visual effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevational view of a luggage in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 1, illustrating theposition of the side pocket in the luggage.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the structure of thehandhold device of the luggage in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the structure of analternate form of the handhold device of the luggage in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the handhold device shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic elevational view of the present invention,illustrating an alternate form of the side pocket.

FIG. 7 is a schematic elevational view of the present invention,illustrating the side pocket located at the front panel of the luggagebody.

FIG. 8 is a schematic elevational view of the present invention,illustrating the side pocket located at the back panel of the luggagebody.

FIG. 9 is a schematic applied view of the present invention,illustrating a newspaper inserted in the side pocket.

FIG. 10 is a schematic applied view of the present invention,illustrating the operating direction of the hand for holding the sidepocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a luggage having a composite side pocket inaccordance with the present invention is shown. As illustrated, theluggage comprises a luggage body 1, a side pocket 2 joined to oneperipheral side of the luggage body 1, and a handhold device 3 locatedat an outer side 21 of the side pocket 2.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, the luggage body 1 comprises a housing 11, aretractable handle 12 joined to the housing 11, and at least one, forexample, four wheels 13 connected to the housing 11. The housing 11 is acontainer for accommodating a traveler's articles during transit,comprising a front panel 111, a back panel 112, two opposite side panels113, a top panel 114 and a bottom panel 115. The retractable handle 12is mounted at the back panel 112 of the housing 11 and operable by theuser to extend or to retract. The wheels 13 are mounted to the bottompanel 115 of the housing 11 so as to enable the luggage body 1 to beeasily moved. The number of the wheels 13 is preferably 2 or 4.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, the side pocket 2 comprises a pocket cloth 21joined to one selected side of the luggage body 1. The pocket cloth 21comprises two opposite lateral edges 211 and a bottom edge 212respectively fastened to the selected side of the luggage body 1, and atop free edge 213 opposite to the bottom edge 212 and defining with theluggage body 1 a pocket mouth 22 therebetween. The pocket mouth 22 iskept open without being sealed by a cover or zipper. Thus, a user canput articles through the pocket mouth 22 into the inside of the sidepocket 2. The handhold device 3 is located at an outer side of thepocket cloth 21 near the pocket mouth 22. Preferably, the handholddevice 3 comprises a handhold body 31 disposed adjacent to the pocketmouth 22, and a finger hole 32 located between the handhold body 31 andthe outer wall 214 of the pocket cloth 21 (see FIG. 3 through FIG. 5).Thus, the user can insert the fingers into the finger hole 32 to hook upthe handhold body 31 so as to drag or lift the luggage body 1.

Referring to FIG. 3 again, the handhold body 31 of the handhold device 3is preferably a strip member turned downwardly from the top free edge213 of the pocket cloth 21 toward the outer wall 214 (see the arrowheadon the right side in the drawing), thereby defining with the outer wall214 the aforesaid finger hole 32 therebetween. Further, the handholdbody 31 of the handhold device 3 is turned downwardly from the top freeedge 213 of the pocket cloth 21 toward the outer wall 214, and thenfolded back and inserted into the finger hole 32 (see the arrowhead onthe left side in the drawing), and then stitched to the pocket cloth 21.Further, the handhold body 31 has two opposite lateral ends thereofrespectively stitched to two edging strips 14 of the luggage body 1.

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIGS. 2 and 4 again, the handhold body 31 of thehandhold device 3 preferably comprises a first strip member 311 and asecond strip member 312. The first strip member 311 is made of a firstmaterial, such as textile fabrics or other kinds of fabrics. The secondstrip member 312 is made of a second material, such as genuine leatheror synthetic leather. The first strip member 311 is stacked on an outerside of the second strip member 312. The second strip member 312 has anopposing inner side thereof facing toward the outer wall 214 of thepocket cloth 21, enabling the aforesaid finger hole 32 to be definedbetween the second strip member 312 and the outer wall 214 of the pocketcloth 21. Because the first strip member 311 is made of textile fabricsor other kinds of fabrics, the first strip member 311 and the luggagebody 1 can be made of the same material. Further, the second stripmember 312 is made of genuine leather or synthetic leather for thehooking of the fingers to provide comfortable touch and anti-slipeffects.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 again, the first strip member 311 and thesecond strip member 312 have respective top edges thereof inserted intothe pocket mouth 22 (see the arrowhead on the right side in FIG. 4) andthen stitched to the pocket cloth 21 inside the pocket mouth 22,respective bottom edges thereof upwardly folded up (see the arrowhead onthe left side in FIG. 4) and then stitched to the outer side of thefirst strip member 311, and respective opposing left and right edgesrespectively affixed to the edging strips 14 of the luggage body 1.Thus, the outer surface of the handhold body 31 is partially formed ofthe first strip member 311 of the first material and partially formed ofthe second strip member 312 of the second material, i.e., the upper halfof the handhold body 31 shown in the drawing is the textile fabrics ofthe first strip member 311; the lower half of the handhold body 31 shownin the drawing is the genuine leather or synthetic leather of the secondstrip member 312. Thus, the surface of the side pocket 2 provides aspecial form and function.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5 again, the bottom edge of the first stripmember 311 and the bottom edge of the second strip member 312 aresmoothly arched edges 313. After the bottom edge of the first stripmember 311 is turned upwards with the bottom edge of the second stripmember 312 (see the arrowhead on the left side in FIG. 4) and joined tothe outer side of the first strip member 311, the exposed smoothlyarched edge 313 is located at the outer side of the first strip member311. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the bottom edges of the first stripmember 311 and the second strip member 312 can be straight edges 314.After the bottom edge of the first strip member 311 is turned upwardswith the bottom edge of the second strip member 312 (see the arrowheadon the left side in FIG. 4) and joined to the outer side of the firststrip member 311, the exposed straight edge 314 is located at the outerside of the first strip member 311. According to the design of thesmoothly arched edges 313 or straight edges 314, the outer appearance ofthe side pocket 2 and handhold body 31 exhibit a unique visual effect oftwo materials.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, the side pocket 2 and the handhold device 3can be provided at one side panel 113 or each of the two side panels 113of the luggage body 1. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the sidepocket 2 and the handhold device 3 can be provided at the front panel111 of the luggage body 1.

Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the side pocket 2 and thehandhold device 3 can be provided at the back panel 112 of the luggagebody 1. Whether the side pocket 2 and the handhold device 3 are providedat the front panel 111 or back panel 112 of the luggage body 1, thecomposite structure and method are same as stated above.

In application, as shown in FIG. 9, when waiting for an airplane or car,the user can directly and conveniently insert newspaper 10, book,magazine or any other handy articles into the pocket mouth 22 of theside pocket 2 without needing to open any cover or zipper means from theluggage body 1. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, when wishing to pull theluggage body 1 toward the user's seat or to lift the luggage body 1 asthe user is waiting for an airplane or car, or when wishing to put theluggage body 1 in an overhead cupboard after boarding, the user caninsert the fingers upwardly into the finger hole 32 of the handholddevice 3 and then hook the fingers on the handhold body 31, enabling theluggage body 1 to be dragged or lifted by hand. Through the compositefunction and outer appearance design of the side pocket 2 and thehandhold device 3 and the two-component texture design of the handholdbody 31, the side pocket 2 exhibits a unique visual effect.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A luggage, comprising a luggage body, a sidepocket mounted at a peripheral wall of said luggage body, and a handholddevice located at an outer wall of said side pocket, said side pocketcomprising a pocket cloth affixed to said luggage body, said pocketcloth comprising two opposite lateral edges and a bottom edge affixed tosaid luggage body and a top free edge opposite to said bottom edge, saidtop free edge defining with said luggage body a pocket mouththerebetween, said handhold device being located at said outer wall ofsaid pocket cloth adjacent to said pocket mouth, said handhold devicecomprising a handhold body near said pocket mouth and a finger holebetween said handhold body and said outer wall of said pocket cloth. 2.The luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handhold body of saidhandhold device is a strip member turned downwardly from said top freeedge of said pocket cloth toward said outer wall of said side pocket,thereby defining with said outer wall said finger hole therebetween. 3.The luggage as claimed in claim 2, wherein said handhold body has twoopposite lateral ends thereof respectively stitched to two edging stripsof said luggage body.
 4. The luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidhandhold body of said handhold device comprises a first strip memberformed of a first material and a second strip member formed of a secondmaterial, said first strip member being stacked on an outer side of saidsecond strip member, said second strip member having an inner sidethereof facing toward said outer wall of said pocket cloth such thatsaid finger hole is defined between said second strip member and saidouter wall of said pocket cloth.
 5. The luggage as claimed in claim 4,wherein said first strip member and said second strip member haverespective top edges thereof affixed to an inner side of said pocketmouth, and respective bottom edges thereof turned upwards and affixed toan outer side of said first strip member; said handhold body has anouter surface partly formed of said first material of said first stripmember and partly formed of said second material of said second stripmember.
 6. The luggage as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first stripmember and said second strip member each have a smoothly arched bottomedge, the smoothly arched bottom edge of said first strip member and thesmoothly arched bottom edge of said second strip member being upwardlyfolded together and affixed to an outer side of said first strip member.7. The luggage as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first strip memberand said second strip member each have a straight bottom edge, thestraight bottom edge of said first strip member and the straight bottomedge of said second strip member being upwardly folded together andaffixed to an outer side of said first strip member.
 8. The luggage asclaimed in claim 6, wherein said first material is textile fabrics; saidsecond material is selected from the group consisting of genuineleathers and synthetic leathers.
 9. The luggage as claimed in claim 8,wherein said first strip member and said second strip member haverespectively two opposite lateral edges thereof respectively affixed totwo opposite edging strips of said luggage body.
 10. The luggage asclaimed in claim 7, wherein said first material is textile fabrics; saidsecond material is selected from the group consisting of genuineleathers and synthetic leathers.
 11. The luggage as claimed in claim 10,wherein said first strip member and said second strip member haverespectively two opposite lateral edges thereof respectively affixed totwo opposite edging strips of said luggage body.
 12. The luggage asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said side pocket and said handhold deviceare selectively mounted at one of side panel, front panel and back panelof said luggage body.